Local News

Indiana's Coats Has Been #SanctionedByPutin

U.S. Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., is among a group of lawmakers banned from Russia in retaliation for U.S. sanctions. Many have taken to Twitter to brag about their ban with the hashtag #SanctionedByPutin.url2014-03-21T00:00:00-04:00

Efforts by U.S. Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., to sanction and isolate Russia for its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine have led to him being banned from the country.

The announcement from Russia came Thursday, shortly after President Barack Obama announced additional sanctions against top Russian officials.

Six members of Congress, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.; House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio; and Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, were banned. Three White House aides also made the list.

The sanctions are being worn as a badge of honor by the U.S. lawmakers. Many have taken to social media with tongue-in-cheek reaction to the news. There's even a Twitter hashtag ‒ #SanctionedbyPutin. "The Washington Wire," a blog from "The Wall Street Journal" is calling it the "hottest club in D.C."

This morning, Coats, a former U.S. ambassador to Germany and a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Tweeted a top 10 list of things he won't be able to do since he is banned from Russia.

In the spirit of Hoosier native @Letterman, here are the top 10 things I won't be able to do since Putin banned me from Russia: